My name is Vivek, a name you don’t hear often, at least when growing up in the United States. A name that I myself thought was unpopular because I barely ever meet any other people that share my name. My friends have even told me that they never met another Vivek which is honestly lucky for me. I am delighted because my friends only know one Vivek, so whenever my name is brought up, an image of me pops up in their head. Yes, I know, this all sounds very self centered, but to me it feels like I never have to compete with others for who is the more impactful Vivek. 

However, after doing some research I found out that Vivek is actually a very popular name that many politicians and actors share in India. In the year 2003, it reached its peak popularity with around 35 million babies given the name Vivek (Babycenter). I was born in 2005, which is close to 2003, so I asked my parents if there was a reason why so many babies were given the same name around that time. Surprisingly, a blockbuster movie called Munna Bhai came out in 2003 with the protagonist being named Vivek, and my mom said the protagonist was the sweetest person on the planet so she decided to name me after him (Indianexpress). The movie was about a thug who had a heart of gold. He wanted to find another path to take care of his family, so he became a doctor through hard work. I think this relates a lot to my case because me and my parents did not come from a very well off background. They want me to become a doctor to help support the family and the community around me.

From the moment my parents named me, they have manifested a caring, loyal, and smart boy, especially when you consider that Vivek means “judicious” or “wise” from its Sanskrit origin (Thebump). It makes me happy to know that they named me Vivek because they wanted me to have all of the intelligent and hard-working characteristics that the protagonist of the movie had. Not only does it bring me joy by knowing that my name carries such positive attributes, but I am also glad to have the uniqueness it provides me as it is not nearly as popular in the US as it is in India.

Works Cited

1.“Vivek - Baby Boy Name Meaning, Origin, and Popularity.” BabyCenter, www.babycenter.com/baby-names/details/vivek-472735. Accessed 21 Sept. 2023. 

2.“Vivek.” Vivek - Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity, www.thebump.com/b/vivek-baby-name#. Accessed 21 Sept. 2023. 

3.Shekhar, Mimansa. “Character Spotlight: Munna Bhai MBBS’s Murli Prasad Sharma.” The Indian Express, 24 Nov. 2004, indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/opinion-entertainment/sanjay-dutt-munna-bhai-mbbs-murli-prasad-sharma-best-character-spotlight-6119492/.